What dramatic effects does Euripides create in this scene?

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Sotoodeh Yari 12B

What dramatic effects does Euripides create in this scene?

Dramatically the core of the play is a war of words and disagreement between the two characters: Pentheus and Dionysus. The distinguish mark of violent and narrow-minded man” Pentheus” against the smiling and ambiguous god” Dionysus”.

The Euripides immediately establishes from line 126 as ethical and theological basis for its play, since the speech of Teirasiases introduce this in monologue .His language almost sound as wise and well constructed, as he says: “Give a wise man an honest brief to plead and his eloquence is no remarkable achievement.” That shows him being calm on surface. His speech more got a formal shape to itself. However, Euripides tries to play games with the audiences mind. In one hand the audience got the image of him being wise and formal, but in other hand he looses the hang of his speech and tries to set the scene with his utter possession of Dionysus. He says: “ Join the dances of the god an ancient foolish pair perhaps, but dance we must. Nothing you have said is going to change my mind. “Which shows him, expressing his opinion, as “you will have a problem if your’ not in my religion” toward Pentheus. This conflict of both group, has also been shown as Teiresias says: “Think: you are pleased when man stand outside your doors and the city, glorifies the name of Pentheus, and so the god. He too delights in glory.” Which shows the reflection of being possessed by Dionysus and shows that both groups are as extreme as each other.

Costume and staging in Euripides, is used as a demonstration tool, to express their tradition in an open way. Take Teiresias and Cadmus for example: They’re wearing a fawn skin and an ivy crown, with thyrsus, which shows their excessive religious believe and tradition. Particularly, Teiresias could use thyrsus, because of his loss of sight.

In contrast of them, Pentheus, this lonesome envious leader, is dressed in Fine Greek military which represent a Greek traditional. The image of him being beardless proves to audience that he cannot be very well much more than seventeen or eighteen. As for most of the character, recognition and identification are the most important actions.  

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The assemblies in Euripides seem to be what we call voting in our days. Yet the people of the debate always stay the same

Another distinguish mark of this scene is the use of slow pace. Mainly fulfilled with the pieces of monologue, which begins with Teiresias. They seem very static, almost rhetoric. Euripides simply uses this style to give the audience a chance to develop their ideas. The use of monologue and dialogue is to create this suspense. Essentially, it has been used as an essential key to inform the reader about the past and what ...

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